Wanna learn how to make a handknit sweater of your own? We've got you covered!

Sign up to our email list to get a free pattern copy of our Vanilla Heirloom, a sweater that has been designed with beginner knitters in mind. Come join our Sustainablist community, we'd love to have you!

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Do you like to take a glimpse behind the scenes and get involved? Then we created #SustainablistDesignVote with you in mind! Here at Sustainablist, we're gearing up to launch an exciting project, and it's all about sharing the process and teaming up with our community. In other words, you're warmly invited to join us as Verena designs a new piece in collaboration with Blacker Yarns! You’ll get to make ALL the choices, from what type of garment or accessory you’d like to knit a little later this year and the inspiration behind the design to choosing yarns and colourways, and there will be plenty of fun prizes, too.

What's the longest time you have ever gone without eating? Malte and I realized that we hadn't spent a single day of our lives without having eaten at least something small, and generally speaking, we're always interested in trying something new. Opinions on the effects of fasting differ largely – for us, despite the challenge aspect of it (which might have been more of a contributing factor for one of us...), fasting mainly intrigued us for the numerous benefits it's said to have, such as improvements in overall health and particularly migraines and a reduced risk of diabetes or high blood pressure, just to name a few.

Just a little over a month ago, we published TRAVEL: A Book for Makers, Adventurers and Sustainablists. It is certainly no exaggeration to say that this eBook is something I have been dreaming about for the longest time.

Dedicated to all things traveling, making and leading a happy, fulfilling life without missing out on the fun while at the same time treating the world we live in with respect, mindfulness and other creatures and future generations in mind, TRAVEL captures some of the many ways of being more sustainable when traveling and making.

All products in the book have been made ethically and sustainably, and there are many fair fashion pieces we absolutely adore. Now without further ado, here are some of my personal favourite styles from the book!

Have you heard the news? We've got a new name! I've you've been around for a while, you'll know that in the beginnings of The Wool Club, I mainly focussed on knitwear design and on how making can contribute to a sustainable lifestyle, something I’m more passionate about than ever. Reflecting on my why, I soon found the deep desire to contribute to a more sustainable, fair and eco-friendly way of everyday living within me, and over time, I’ve started featuring content with a more holistic view on sustainability, covering and connecting a range of aspects in addition to sustainable making.

Our latest design, Vanilla Heirloom, is now available, and I haven't been this excited for a new pattern release in quite some time. And you know why? With everything we do here at The Wool Club, we aim to contribute to a more sustainable, fair and eco-friendly way of living and making, and this new design feels like an important step in that. To us, an important aspect of sustainable making is providing knitters with patterns that you can use to make pieces that'll last you a long time and that will be loved and worn a lot.

Next up in our 5 Ways to Wear series is our Vanilla Heirloom sweater, a handknit unisex piece that's destined to become your favourite everyday pullover. It's also an excellent choice for beginner knitters as it comes with lots of extra information and instructions for 5 different gauges, making it suitable for a plethora of yarn weights. You can get a free, basic version here, and the full pattern version is available here. Between Malte and I, we technically have 3 of them: his version in size 4, knit out of Blacker Yarns's Brushwork (now sold out), my slightly oversize version in size 2, knit out of De Rerum Natura's Gilliatt with Moel View Yarn's Veld Lace, and the design sample in size 1, knit out of The Fibre Co.'s Arranmore Light. Here's how I wear it:

When I think about sustainability and fashion, to me, a vital aspect in all of this is aiming to add pieces to our wardrobes that we'll get a lot of wear out of. They don't necessarily have to be things we wear on a daily basis – I'd argue that it's sustainable, too, if I invest in a statement piece that I'll wear for special occasions only, but that is great quality and will last me for many of said special occasions to come, that is in a way timeless that I'll most likely still like it years down the road, or that maybe even serves the purpose for not only me, but friends I'll be able to lend it to or others I might pass it onto should I not wear it anymore. Still, a versatile garment often equals more wears, and after all, making the most out of what we buy and make is what we all want, right?

A few days ago, I shared about a less than ideal morning on Instagram Stories and so many of you reached out with interesting and encouraging thoughts that I decided to share some of them here. You might know that balancing life and work in a somewhat healthy manner is one of the main things I focus on this year – I wrote about it here and here – and I'm so grateful for all the conversations on self care I've had and seen both offline and online.

For many, myself included, the morning really sets the tone for the rest of the day. When the first hour or so of my day starts with a huge glass of water, a few minutes of reading, a shower and those other routines that make my start into the day gentle and calm, I feel a lot better for the entire rest of the day, I'm more productive and overall just a better version of myself.

It's a Saturday afternoon, and after a coffee date with a new friend and colleague this morning and then a birthday brunch afterwards, I was in the middle of what I call "light working" – you know, a few emails here, drafting some ideas there – when thoughts on working on a weekend began circling around my head, so I wanted to share some of them with you. Like always, I'd love to hear yours, too, you're warmly invited to continue this conversation in the comments!